3 Guilty in 1970 Mississippi Killing

Three white men were found guilty Saturday of killing a black sharecropper who was beaten by a mob and dumped off a bridge almost 30 years ago.

The jury deliberated about six hours before returning the verdict, convicting all three on the lesser charge of manslaughter. Earlier Saturday, they had reported that they were deadlocked, but the judge urged them to continue deliberating.

James “Doc” Caston, 66; his brother, Charles E. Caston, 64; and their half-brother, Hal Crimm, 50, were charged with murder in the death of Rainey Pool, a one-armed farmer who was killed in 1970. Each faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

The three were jailed until a sentencing hearing Wednesday.

Pool’s family shared smiles, but there was no show of jubilation.

“I felt a little sorrow for my husband,” said Betty Pool, the victim’s widow.

Pool was beaten outside a nightclub near the small Mississippi Delta cotton town of Louise on April 12, 1970. His body was dumped off a bridge into the Sunflower River.

The case was revived at the request of Pool’s family.

“The nature of the crime was a bad one, and I believe they deserve the maximum,” Dist. Atty. James Powell said Saturday.

Defense attorney Mark Prewitt declined to comment.

Seven white men were blamed for the attack. Two are dead, one was acquitted in June and a fourth, Joe Oliver Watson, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter and agreed to testify against the others.